Comments and analysis

Busy Oxford Street in London including a red bus

Britain is already becoming an ā€˜island of strangersā€™ ā€“ but immigration isnā€™t the driver

An opinion piece written by Dr Michael Skey from the School of Social Sciences for The Conversation platform:
The flag of Vatican City - the home of the Pope

The prospect of a US pope was once viewed with suspicion ā€“ but Leo XIV could prove an important counter to Trump

An opinion piece written by Doctoral Researcher Massimo D'Angelo from ĀĢ²čÖ±²„ London for The Conversation platform.
View from the Mount of Olives on the dome of the rock and ancient cemetery through the barbed wire, as a symbol of Palestine Israeli conflict

Israelā€™s peace movement offers a ray of hope amid the pain of Gaza conflict

An opinion piece written by Dr Yuval Katz from the School of Social Sciences and Humanities for The Conversation platform:
A man facing several security cameras showing different locations in an office

Severance: what the hit show can teach us about cybersecurity and human risk

What if your work self didnā€™t know about your personal life, and your home self had no idea what you did for a living? In Apple TVā€™s Severance, thatā€™s exactly the deal: a surgical procedure splits the memories of employees into ā€œinniesā€ (who only exist at work) and ā€œoutiesā€ (who never recall what they do from nine to five).
pope francis

How Pope Francis changed the Catholic Churchā€™s foreign policy

When the late Pope Francis first stepped on to the balcony of Saint Peterā€™s Basilica following his election 12 years ago, he remarked that he had been called almost from the ā€œend of the worldā€. He was the first non-European pontiff since Gregory III, elected in AD731, who was of Syrian origin. And he was the first pope in history to come from Latin America.
Iran and US flags together

Iran and US to enter high-stakes nuclear negotiations ā€“ hampered by a lack of trust

The announcement of planned talks between the US and Iran in Oman signifies a crucial development ā€“ especially given the history of distrust and animosity that has characterised their interactions.
a child and woman smile at each other

How dentists could help tackle obesity in children

As a specialty registrar in paediatric dentistry, Iā€™ve seen first-hand the pain children experience because of poor oral health. Tooth decay happens when teeth are damaged by acids produced by oral bacteria breaking down sugar from foods and drinks ā€“ and although itā€™s largely preventable ā€“ itā€™s the most common reason forĀ hospital admissionĀ in children aged between five and nine in England.
Woman checking bill sat wrapped up warm

Energy bills and debt are rising yet again ā€“ here are three things that would help vulnerable households

Energy prices are rising faster than benefits, wages or pensions, meaning the amount that UK households owe to energy suppliers ā€“ their energy debt ā€“ is also likely to grow.
Turkish flag being held up in crowd

Turkey: a favourable international climate is spurring Erdoğanā€™s crackdown on democracy

The Turkish judiciary has finally succeeded in sidelining Istanbulā€™s mayor, Ekrem Ä°mamoğlu, at the fourth attempt. On the morning of March 19, the 53-year-old posted a video on social media announcing that police had arrived at his home to arrest him on charges of corruption, aiding a terrorist organisation and organised crime.
Ice floating around in the arctic sea

Growing Trump-Putin detente could spell trouble for the Arctic

During a wide-ranging 90-minute speech to the US congress of March 4, Donald Trump revisited his determination to ā€œgetā€ Greenland ā€œone way or the otherā€. Trump said his country needed Greenland ā€œfor national securityā€. While he said he and his government ā€œstrongly support your right to determine your own futureā€ he added that ā€œif you choose, we welcome you into the United States of Americaā€.
Macron shakes Trump's hand

Emmanuel Macron used every diplomatic trick in the book at the White House ā€“ but Trump writes his own rules

If there was a book of diplomacy, then French president Emmanuel Macron threw it at US president Donald Trump in their joint press conference in Washington DC. Macron delivered quite the masterclass in the diplomatic arts. Unthreatening body language and public displays of affection? Check.
A pile of used clothes

The world needs a circular economy. But workers in developing countries shouldnā€™t pay the price

The circular economy offers a fresh approach to how we produce and consume, focusing on reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering. It moves us away from the traditional ā€œmake, use, discardā€ model, creating a more sustainable system to balance the needs of the economy, society and nature.

A couple arguing

How to argue without falling out ā€“ an expert guide

To disagree is an inescapable part of being human. We simply are not all the same. But whereas a small disagreement may remain amiable, particularly over text or online where we can edit our responses, a face-to-face row over a sensitive topic can develop into a more antagonistic form of argument.
steak cooking on a grill

Processed red meat isnā€™t just bad for your heart, itā€™s also associated with dementia

Less red meat is good for the planet and aĀ growing number of peopleĀ have started the new year resolving to pursue a meat-free diet.
The Capitol building in the US

The Trump revolution: where it came from and where itā€™s going

As Donald Trump prepares for his inauguration, the world is preparing for the beginning of the second Trump Revolution. Trumpā€™s second term will be very different from his first, when his powers were more limited and restrained. In 2016 he did not win a majority of the popular vote.
a digital circuit board with a tree growing from it symbolising technology and its impact on the environment

How the UKā€™s plans for AI could derail net zero ā€“ the numbers explained

The UK governmentā€™s goal to increase public-controlled artificial intelligence computing power twentyfold by 2030 would significantly raise electricity demand. Can renewable energy supply meet it ā€“ and still have enough left over to electrify sectors like heating and transport, which must be fully decarbonised by 2050?
A cancer cell being targeted with crosshairs

Cancer: microscopic beams of radiation could be a better way to treat tumours, according to studies in animals

Radiotherapy has been a cornerstone of cancer treatment for decades, offering a targeted approach to treat tumours. Yet, as effective as it is, it often causes unwanted damage to neighbouring healthy tissues ā€“ which can lead to many side-effects.
Image: Two wrestlers are fighting in a boxing ring wearing head masks, with a referee knelt beside them.

Wrestlersā€™ welfare has improved since the 1990s ā€“ but they still have a fight on their hands

In the recent Netflix docuseries Mr. McMahon (2024), former wrestler and bodybuilder Tony Atlas claimed: ā€œWe would have been looked upon, in todayā€™s society, as some of the worst human beings walking the face of the Earth.ā€
A photo of a Jaguar Land Rover building.

Jaguar Type 00: the controversial pink car is more in step with the brandā€™s history than detractors think

At first glance, Jaguarā€™s new electric Type 00 concept car is surprising, shocking or perhaps even jarring to some. This is largely due to its bright pink colour (it also comes in blue).
A screenshot of the title Joy

Joy: the story of IVF shows how womenā€™s health and scientific contributions havenā€™t be taken seriously

Watching the Netflix film Joy has been a hugely emotional experience for me. The film is the story of the scientific endeavour to figure out in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and the first baby to be born this way, Louise Joy Brown on 25 July 1978 at Oldham General Hospital in Manchester.
Tradesman shaking hands with customer

How much for cash? Why the informal economy is bad for business, consumers and society

Who hasnā€™t heard someone ask, ā€œHow much for cash?ā€ While it may seem harmless, research reveals such demands contribute to a growing culture of informality in business.
Trailor screenshot for TV show Bad Sisters

Bad Sisters season two is a darker, more serious look at sisterhood

The second series of Bad Sisters starts in the dark of the night. Four women sit in a car at the edge of some cliffs, panicking, arguing, shouting at each other. We are back with the Garvey sisters, two years on from where the first season had ended.
A skull is sat on top of an open book.

From a scream to a whisper ā€“ ā€˜quiet horrorā€™ novels are making a comeback

Ever since its inception with Horace Walpoleā€™s novel The Castle of Otranto (1764), a delirious mixture of violent death and familial conspiracy, gothic literature has been a restless cultural form, constantly mutating and assuming new guises but always exploring the darker side of life. Sometimes, its fashions are those of the historical moment. Sometimes they are initiated by a book enjoying unprecedented commercial success.
Salem's Lot screen grab

Salemā€™s Lot: a faithful but shallow adaptation of Stephen Kingā€™s classic vampire novel

The vampire story dwells among the undead of literary and cinematic genres, ever available for reanimation. This year alone has seen the publication of more than 30 vampire novels in the US (from Rachel Harrisonā€™s So Thirsty to K. M. Enrightā€™s Mistress of Lies), alongside the release of several vampire movies, including Abigail (with Nosferatu, rebooting the silent German classic, due at Christmas).
A busy London street with Big Ben in the distance

New rights for UK workers are unlikely to put enough money in the pockets of those who need it

Sarah was in a comfortable job, working for an archaeology business before being diagnosed with cancer. Much of her 20-year career had left her with reliable employment rights in the civil service.